Freeskier Magazine » Tess Weaverhttp://freeskier.com
Sun, 02 Aug 2015 16:11:13 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3Uncharted Airspace: Ski resorts prep for impending drone invasionhttp://freeskier.com/stories/uncharted-airspace-ski-resorts-prep-for-impending-drone-invasion
http://freeskier.com/stories/uncharted-airspace-ski-resorts-prep-for-impending-drone-invasion#commentsMon, 01 Jun 2015 22:38:47 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=52930This week, GoPro joined the drone game when they announced plans for a quadcopter to launch in the second half of next year. CEO Nick Woodman likened the growth in the quad industry to the early days of POV cameras. DJI, Parrot, and 3D Robotics all make consumer geared flying cameras, but it’s the self-flying […]

]]>This week, GoPro joined the drone game when they announced plans for a quadcopter to launch in the second half of next year. CEO Nick Woodman likened the growth in the quad industry to the early days of POV cameras. DJI, Parrot, and 3D Robotics all make consumer geared flying cameras, but it’s the self-flying drone from Lily Robotics that could elevate the age of narcissism in skiing to the skies.

Lily, set to release next year, follows a small circular tracker (in your pocket or on your wrist) with a camera shooting 1080p video. The waterproof camera also shoots 12-megapixel stills, shoots 360 degrees and automatically switches to slow-mo mode when it detects airtime. Lily’s product video opens with a snowboarder tossing a sleek looking drone into the air that follows him down a terrain park. The only problem in marketing aerial follow cams to skiers—at least for now—is that they’re either banned or soon-to-be banned in every ski area.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates all airspace, allows model aircraft operations for recreational purposes and strongly encourages safety guidelines that include flying below 400 feet, avoiding people, stadiums and airports and remaining clear of manned aircraft operations. But the U.S. Forest Service has jurisdiction within special use permitting, including ski areas on National Forest land and activities within ski areas. The Forest Service is currently working with the National Ski Areas Association and specific ski areas to review how each resort addresses recreational and commercial drone use within their rules of use.

“At a resort like Vail, where you see 15-16,000 skiers per day… If everyone had one, you can see how it would be unmanageable,” says Don Dressler, Mountain Resort Program Manager for the U.S. Forest Service. “So, how do you allow for some, not all?”

For now, most resorts are banning drones and all remote-controlled aircraft.

“It’s a safety and density issue,” says Dave Amirault, Director of Sales and Marketing at Sierra-at-Tahoe. “It’s not the most reliable technology. They can fall out of the sky, get lost, hit someone or hit a lift. While amazing, there isn’t a place for them at ski areas.”

Sierra-at-Tahoe implemented a drone policy last December. It’s buried at the bottom of the terms and conditions page in Sierra’s website, but, says Amirault, skiers are going to start seeing verbage front and center as interest grows.

Former pro skier Craig Coker flies drones and multicopters for Sweatpants Media, whose clients include Toyota, Panasonic and Red Bull. He’s made a living in aerial cinematography for more than three years, but says the industry has exponentially increased in the last two years, from single rotor RC copters then to multi-rotor copters.

Coker says stabilization gimbals have progressed from twitchy servo motors to smooth brushless motors that make the picture look incredibly stable no matter how much the person or helicopter moves. “The technology gets better literally every month,” he says.

Coker says his number-one concern since he started flying drones has always been safety. His biggest drone weighs 38lbs and, he says, its carbon frame and props can easily cut someone. “Even if it barely hits you, you’re most likely going to hospital,” says Coker.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/uncharted-airspace-ski-resorts-prep-for-impending-drone-invasion/feed1Show me the money: The agents behind skiing’s biggest starshttp://freeskier.com/stories/show-me-the-money-the-agents-behind-skiings-biggest-stars
http://freeskier.com/stories/show-me-the-money-the-agents-behind-skiings-biggest-stars#commentsFri, 27 Mar 2015 19:05:55 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=51322Watching sports agent Michael Spencer while one of his athletes competes is almost as exciting as spectating the event itself. Spencer’s piercing blue eyes settle on the course and narrow in intensity. As he paces back and forth, his gloved hands come together with such force, they create a loud thwap through layers of insulation. […]

Watching sports agent Michael Spencer while one of his athletes competes is almost as exciting as spectating the event itself. Spencer’s piercing blue eyes settle on the course and narrow in intensity. As he paces back and forth, his gloved hands come together with such force, they create a loud thwap through layers of insulation. His repetitive shouts of support— “Come on, [insert athlete name], come on!”—rise above even the loudest X Games crowd. It’s the only way he knows how to release the nervous energy that overcomes him at every high- stakes event. Spencer might turn red in the face, and he might lose his voice, but if you are a high-profile skier, he’s just the kind of guy you want negotiating your contract.

$ $ $

As vice president of action sports and Olympics at Wasserman Media Group, Spencer manages the largest roster of any agent in freeskiing: Simon Dumont, Gus Kenworthy, Torin Yater-Wallace, Jossi Wells, Byron Wells, Kelly Sildaru, Justin Dorey and Lyman Currier. He’s also been in the game the longest. He signed Dumont in 2003, when Tanner Hall was the only other skier with an agent. The 43-year-old holds a law degree and lives in Park City with his wife and two young daughters. His intensity doesn’t surface until it needs to—say, one of his athletes is on the cusp of qualifying for the next round or losing a major sponsorship deal.

Before Dumont ever climbed atop a major podium, he hired Spencer to secure brand partnerships and endorsement opportunities and to negotiate his contracts. More than a decade later, Dumont credits Spencer for much more than securing his salary. “He’s like a father to me,” says Dumont. “He’s kept me as grounded as he could and always pointed me in the right direction. He helped mold me into what I am today.”

In the last ten years, sports representation in freeskiing has gone from unheard of to commonplace. Chairlift deals between ski companies and parents have evolved into 15-page, six-figure contracts from the legal desks of car and energy drink companies, making the role of the ski agent indispensible for athletes in the sport’s upper echelon. The role is evolving as quickly as the sport, but the agent’s primary responsibility remains the same—deal with the business side so their clients can focus on skiing.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/show-me-the-money-the-agents-behind-skiings-biggest-stars/feed3The Brothers Wester: Swedish skiers Jacob and Oscar navigate two paths in the same sporthttp://freeskier.com/stories/brothers-wester-swedish-skiers-jacob-oscar-navigate-two-paths-sport
http://freeskier.com/stories/brothers-wester-swedish-skiers-jacob-oscar-navigate-two-paths-sport#commentsFri, 20 Mar 2015 15:14:48 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=51009 When Oscar Wester was 7 years old, he competed in a big-air competition that his older brother, Jacob, was judging. Oscar’s best trick was a 360, but during his last run, he attempted a 540 to impress Jacob. He over-rotated and crashed hard, but he didn’t feel any pain after he saw his brother […]

When Oscar Wester was 7 years old, he competed in a big-air competition that his older brother, Jacob, was judging. Oscar’s best trick was a 360, but during his last run, he attempted a 540 to impress Jacob. He over-rotated and crashed hard, but he didn’t feel any pain after he saw his brother enthusiastically clapping and cheering.

“I still remember the feeling I got,” says Oscar, 19. “That moment was a milestone in my skiing career.”

It’s a career on a promising path. Last season, Oscar competed in the Olympic Winter Games (though he didn’t qualify for finals), he won the Nine Knights big-air showdown and also took top honors at the Jon Olsson Invitational with a lofty triple cork 1620. “It was very, very impressive for him to be able to land a trick like that in finals,” says freeskiing pioneer, Jon Olsson. “I saw him do it even better earlier on in the contest, so I can’t wait to see what he brings to the table [this season].”

Just as Oscar hits his stride in the contest scene, 26-year-old Jacob is heading another direction. Having been a top big-air competitor for the past decade, he’s trading contests for crampons, developing his backcountry and ski mountaineering skills in places like Chamonix, France, and Telluride, Colorado, and producing his own web series along the way.

Eight years separate Oscar and Jacob, but they look almost identical. Born and raised in Stockholm, Sweden, both brothers have flowing blonde locks, ice-blue eyes and a stylish dress code. They enjoy playing guitar, surfing and fishing. Even their skiing styles are similar, particularly their stance on takeoffs and the way they tweak their grabs.

“Oscar’s style shows some similarity to how Jacob skied six or eight years ago,” says Patric Nyberg, freeskiing coach for the Swedish Ski Association, “especially how they both keep their center of balance correctly angled through their tricks, which leads to solid landings. They differ in that Jacob explored the sport early on and became one of its most innovative individuals, while Oscar is executing higher-level slopestyle runs.”

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/brothers-wester-swedish-skiers-jacob-oscar-navigate-two-paths-sport/feed1Tatum’s Time: How the Alberta native takes opportunity by the hornshttp://freeskier.com/stories/tatum-monod-how-the-alberta-native-takes-opportunity-by-the-horns
http://freeskier.com/stories/tatum-monod-how-the-alberta-native-takes-opportunity-by-the-horns#commentsWed, 28 Jan 2015 17:13:42 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=48968Tatum Monod is your 2014 Skier of the Year — Riders’ Choice award winner How it worked: We called upon the sport’s biggest names and asked them to rank the 10 skiers they felt had the best 2013-14 season. We left the definition of “best season” open to interpretation but asked the pros to consider […]

How it worked: We called upon the sport’s biggest names and asked them to rank the 10 skiers they felt had the best 2013-14 season. We left the definition of “best season” open to interpretation but asked the pros to consider all factors from film parts, to contest results, online edits and overall impact. More than 100 top-name pros cast their votes, securing this award as one of the greatest distinctions in skiing.

I can’t imagine the adrenaline that stems from catching a fish can match that of dropping a 30-foot cliff or stomping a lofty double backflip into deep powder—standard fare for Monod.

“It’s such a rush,” she exclaims with such gusto, I forget we’re talking fishing. “That electricity on the end of your line … that feeling of something alive. It’s just so thrilling.”

Monod ain’t afraid to get sendy. Photo by Reuben Krabbe

It’s not a sentiment shared by many 23-year-old females who listen to Beyoncé and study fashion design (to be fair, it’s with an emphasis on technical apparel), but Monod’s version of fly fishing is far from the sedentary hobby beloved by retirees. If she’s in a drift boat, she rarely drops anchor, and on shore, she’s covering ground. “I need to be moving,” she says. “That’s the best way to catch a fish.”

Monod would know. At 8 years old, she dropped her first line off a dock on Lake Temagami in northern Ontario, where her grandparents had a cottage. She hooked a smallmouth bass right away. These days, Monod practices the art of the cast. Whether she’s floating her home river, the Bow, with her dad or hiking seven hours to an alpine lake with her boyfriend, skier Wiley Miller, Monod fishes as much as her schedule allows.

The trout catching, double backflipping, snowmobile rallying, cliff jumping, horseback riding Tatum Monod is a product of her environment. Her last name is among the most well-known in her hometown of Banff, Alberta. It’s displayed at 129 Banff Avenue, above the iconic 65-year-old family-owned outdoor store here Monod grew up working. Her grandfather John Monod, a Swiss mountain guide, brought his specialty ski shop from Chamonix to Banff during World War II. As a ski racer, Tatum’s father, Peter, won the Canada Championships and the US Championships, and excelled at the Europa Cup and World Cup levels—all by the age of 22. Her cousin won the steer-wrestling event at last year’s Calgary Stampede. But now, as a Level 1 athlete with an award-winning segment and a brand new contract with Red Bull, it’s Tatum who’s in the spotlight.

She shocked the judges and crowd when she straight-aired a 15 footer and then, without hesitating, hit a booter and laid out a huge backflip to win qualifiers…

She skis fast and loose yet with incredible ability and control,” says Parker White, who voted for Monod for Skier of the Year. “She’s one of very few girls incorporating big tricks into her backcountry skiing. She filmed all year without a big budget or any emphasis on her sex. Raw talent, raw skiing and no bullshit—that’s why Tatum stands out.”

“Her Level 1 segment and her season edit blew my mind,” says Joss Christensen, who also voted for Monod. “She skis fast and makes it look effortless. She can keep up with the boys, but she still has this feminine style.”

Monod spent a lot of her preteen life in gymnastics and on horseback, riding through the Sound of Music-pretty Canadian Rockies. She wasn’t interested in joining her family on the ski hill until she was 10, and even then, she wanted to snowboard. Peter told her if she didn’t want the ski gear in the back of the truck, she’d have to go to the rental shop and get set up on her own.

“I assumed that would be the end of that, but an hour later we glanced over to the Poma lift and there was Tatum riding up on her own,” remembers Peter. “No need for mum or dad, no instruction, no lift ticket and god only knows how a 10-year-old convinced the rental shop to set her up with snowboard gear. We watched her get off the lift, buckle in and slide down to the bottom. If Tatum wants to do it, it will be done.”

She finally discovered ski racing—on her own, of course—at the age of 12, and by 15 she joined the prestigious Alberta Alpine Ski Team. To her family’s surprise, she just couldn’t get enough. “I’ve been around skiers and skiing all my life, and I’ve never met someone who’s so keen to ski,” says Peter.

In 2009, after a few years on the NorAm circuit, Monod was offered a ski-racing scholarship to the University of Alaska Anchorage. She packed her bags but couldn’t shake a feeling of dread. She wanted to ski powder, not train gates. She followed her heart, swapped out her skis and hopped on a westbound bus to Revelstoke, BC, without money or a plan. When the Freeskiing World Tour came to town, Monod didn’t expect to qualify for the first day of the comp. She shocked the judges and crowd when she straight-aired a 15 footer and then, without hesitating, hit a booter and laid out a huge backflip to win qualifiers (she placed second overall). Monod followed the Tour to the States, placing in the top 10 at Crested Butte and Kirkwood. “She’s more competitive than any girl I’ve met,” says Nic Monod, Tatum’s brother. “She just goes and sends it. She’s so athletic. And her personality is very determined for what she’s passionate about. Nothing gets in her way.”

Orage team manager, Mike Nick, had heard of Monod when he invited her on an Orage team trip to Retallack in the spring of 2011, but he had never met her in person.

“I could tell she was just out of the pressure cooker,” remembers Nick. “It was her first time skiing with JP Auclair, Charley Ager and Banks Gilberti, and it was kind of like a tryout. She jumped out of her truck, hopped in the cat and her first line was: ‘Banks Gilberti is the hottest girl in freeskiing.’ Everyone cracked up, and right then I knew it was going to work out. She was charging from the get-go, dropping into pillow lines and stomping everything.”

Long before Monod’s segment in less became a reality, she knew she wanted to film with Level 1. She asked director Freedle Coty what it would take. Experience and persistence, he told her.

Based in Whistler, she filmed with Orage, Sherpas Cinema and also for Lynsey Dyer’s Pretty Faces.

Watch: Monod’s 2013-14 edit.

She asked Nick to put in the good word with Level 1 founder Josh Berman. And then she called Berman herself. The man is admittedly leery of working with new skiers—the dynamic of the crew is a delicate balance—but after hearing rave reviews from Nick, Coty and Level 1 athletes, he decided to roll the dice last season by partnering with only the third girl the production house has ever filmed.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/tatum-monod-how-the-alberta-native-takes-opportunity-by-the-horns/feed0Shelter from the storm: Colorado’s first system of backcountry huts always emphasized the skiinghttp://freeskier.com/stories/shelter-storm-colorados-first-system-backcountry-huts-always-emphasized-skiing
http://freeskier.com/stories/shelter-storm-colorados-first-system-backcountry-huts-always-emphasized-skiing#commentsTue, 27 Jan 2015 21:58:55 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=48957Photos by Art Burrows. Booking a backcountry hut wasn’t always as easy as the click of a mouse. More than 30 years ago, when a few rustic cabins in the Elk Mountains were the only ski huts in Colorado, reserving one meant showing up on the doorstep of Alfred Braun’s house in downtown Aspen. The […]

Booking a backcountry hut wasn’t always as easy as the click of a mouse. More than 30 years ago, when a few rustic cabins in the Elk Mountains were the only ski huts in Colorado, reserving one meant showing up on the doorstep of Alfred Braun’s house in downtown Aspen. The crusty German immigrant, who founded what is now known as Mountain Rescue Aspen, managed the hut system and was known around town as a skilled mountaineer and the one that made sure skiers were up to par.

“He’d size them up to see whether they were backcountry types who knew what they were doing,” says Hawk Greenway, who took over as hut master following Braun’s death in 1988. “He’d refuse to give the key if avalanche danger was too high or if he didn’t think they could handle it. If he approved, he’d hand them the key and a roll of toilet paper.”

While many of today’s hut trips are characterized by gourmet meals and drinking games, the eight huts that now make up the Alfred A. Braun Hut System were built for one purpose: skiing.

“It’s the best system of backcountry huts in the country for actual ski terrain,” says Aspen local Chris Davenport. “There are other amazing hut systems out there, like the 10th Mountain, but they are more focused on the touring. The Braun huts offer some amazing access to ski mountaineering and steep skiing. Every single one of them is positioned perfectly for amazing skiing.”

Braun managed the huts for more than twenty years and oversaw completion of the Barnard, Goodwin Green and Green-Wilson huts.

“He had this old war surplus Jeep, and he’d shuttle the beams and windows to his favorite spots,” says Greenway. “The views were minimal. The windows weren’t oriented for solar gain. He didn’t want people in the huts except to spend the night. His whole philosophy was building refuges in the places that had great skiing.”

“They were beyond rustic,” says Dick Jackson, owner of Aspen Expeditions, an Aspen-based guide service that uses the huts commercially. “There were times where you could have the stove going full time all evening, and it was still colder inside than outside.”

All eight huts have been remodeled in the last decade (the Markley Hut was also moved to a nearby sunnier location), and they now rival some of the nicest huts in the state. Many of the new huts feature south-facing decks, expansive views, electric lights and solar panels, but all were designed in the Braun tradition of keeping things intimate and integrated into the landscape. The most recent addition to the system, Opa’s Taylor Hut, opened in 2012 and offers the most spectacular views within the hut system. Named for Braun, who was known as Opa (German for grandpa) by his family and friends, the refuge is anchored in granite at an altitude of almost 12,000 feet, just southeast of Taylor Pass.

“It’s the spider at the center of the web,” says Jackson. “You can get to all the huts from Opa’s within 5 or 6 miles. It’s opened up all these cross-country routes, including the grand traverse route over to the Friends Hut on the Crested Butte side.”

Navigation skills are critical for finding the Braun huts, as the routes are often above tree line. Even with GPS, in a storm, zero visibility can be a major problem. A warning on the hut system’s website states, “Routes are not marked or maintained. The route into Opa’s Hut in particular presents serious route finding and terrain challenges and should only be attempted by experienced backcountry travelers.”

“I’d guess more people sleep in the snow within the Braun system than in any other hut system in Colorado,” says Ben Dodge, executive director of the 10th Mountain Division Hut Association, which accepts reservations for the Braun huts. “It’s a completely different creature than the 10th Mountain Division huts. The routes to the huts are located within avalanche prone terrain, and the day trips from the huts are also more likely to be in avalanche terrain.”

The most infamous story remains the 1993 fiasco dubbed “Miracle in the Mountains” by the media, involving seven unprepared skiers, the worst
storm since 1934 and a $30,000 rescue effort. The group from Denver, led by Ken Torp, headed to the Goodwin Greene Hut in blizzard conditions with extreme avalanche danger and quickly became lost. The four-day rescue effort ended successfully but not without extreme monetary cost to Pitkin County and risking the lives of more than 80 volunteers.

Photographer and telemark skiing pioneer Art Burrows has been using the huts since the 70s. “For the person who likes more of an exposed, raw high-altitude experience with a little more risk and challenge, it’s the perfect hut system,” he says.

Of the eight huts—Markley, Barnard, Friends, Goodwin Greene, Lindley, Opa’s Taylor, Tagert and Green-Wilson—the Markley and Lindley are the most accessible, with approaches that take less than two hours. Aspen locals frequently ski to the Markley Hut on a weeknight and make it to work on time the next morning. If you’re after the best bang-for-your-buck skiing from one of the huts, you might make the trek to the Tagert Hut, which accesses innumerable lines in Pearl Basin. Large parties should book the Tagert and Green-Wilson huts, which are only 50 meters apart. But the ultimate way to experience the Braun huts is to link up two or three of them for a European-style multiday trip. Davenport suggests the Star Peak traverse route. He leads a three-night, four-day trip through Aspen Expeditions using three of the Braun huts.

“The huts are manageable distances, which makes for plenty of time for skiing,” says Davenport.

The terrain between the Lindley Hut, Opa’s Taylor Hut and Friends Hut offers everything from 3,000-foot sustained 40-degree couloirs on Taylor and Star Peak to low angle glades in the Taylor Valley Basin for when avalanche danger is considerable.

Whether you rally up for a one nighter or hire a guide and tour a Colorado haute route, the Braun huts offer something for every backcountry skier.

Suggested route from Aspen Expeditions & Chris Davenport:

The route begins at the Lindley Hut, which offers fun, manageable ski pitches in the basin above and some south and west facing slopes towards Taylor Peak. The next day, en route to Opa’s Taylor Hut, you’ll encounter a good size climb out of the Castle Creek drainage over Italian Pass to the upper Taylor Creek River Basin. From Opa’s Taylor Hut, there’s plenty of skiing on and around Taylor Peak. The next day takes you over Star Pass, where you’ll view the Crested Butte side of the Elk Mountains and ski down to the historic Friends Hut. From there, it’s possible to ski tour up Pearl Pass or Star Peak, which offers some aesthetic couloirs on the south side. Then, it’s back to Ashcroft, via Pearl Pass, where side trips are possible but avalanche conditions are often tricky. Splurge on the guide fee and Aspen Expeditions and Chris Davenport will ensure you experience the best the Elk Mountains have to offer.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/shelter-storm-colorados-first-system-backcountry-huts-always-emphasized-skiing/feed0Profile: Inside the mind of the multi-talented Nicky Keeferhttp://freeskier.com/stories/profile-inside-mind-multi-talented-nicky-keefer
http://freeskier.com/stories/profile-inside-mind-multi-talented-nicky-keefer#commentsFri, 05 Dec 2014 22:18:21 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=47379Skiing didn’t come naturally for Nicky Keefer. “I was the slowest to progress in my group of friends,” says the 23-year-old. “I was always behind everyone. My friends had better style and better tricks.” What Keefer did have was a work ethic, and it proved stronger than most of his peers. Now, he’s sponsored by […]

]]>Skiing didn’t come naturally for Nicky Keefer. “I was the slowest to progress in my group of friends,” says the 23-year-old. “I was always behind everyone. My friends had better style and better tricks.”

What Keefer did have was a work ethic, and it proved stronger than most of his peers.

Now, he’s sponsored by the likes of Atomic, Saga Outerwear and Dragon Alliance. He won Best Style and Best Overall Edit at Nine Knights in 2012 and Best Overall honors at Nine Knights last year. He’s appeared in a slew of films and now boasts a core following who appreciates his nose and tail pressing abilities; his smooth, slow spins; and his signature tail grab.

His tricks are so different, so unique and always on point,” says Tom Wallisch, who met Keefer seven years ago when the then 15-year-old skied and coached for AXIS Freeride team in Park City. “He’ll focus on a nose press to 270 out of a certain rail, call it a ‘swoopty’ and do it for three years until he’s perfected it—until it’s so technically precise and completely unique.”

Photo by Nate Abbott

“If you told me 10 years ago he’d be where he is today, I never would have believed you,” says Keefer’s longtime friend Rich Frogh, who grew up with him in Huntsville, Utah. “He was the goofiest kid and so awkward on his skis. But he’s got a drive.”

Frogh says Keefer was so determined to earn the respect of his fellow campers at Mt. Hood one summer that he vied for “most manly” title by standing barefoot in the snow on the Trillium Lake airstrip, dragging a huge dead tree through the woods for 45 minutes and eating Huckleberry Inn hash browns until he puked.

“He was really talented and a little dorky, a little odd,” says Wallisch. Throughout the years he’s come into his own. His friends never guessed he’d be the first one in the crew to get married (he wed Swedish snowboarder Maja Löfvenmark last summer) or that he’d study Buddhism and astrophysics. “He’s got a reputation for getting into emotionally and psychologically deep conversations at 2:00 a.m. after the bars close,” adds Wallisch.

Keefer’s shelves are lined with books on self-realization, consciousness and awareness. After stumbling across a lecture by theoretical physicist Michio Kaku called the The Universe in a Nutshell in 2012, Keefer took an interest in physics. Since then, he’s read as much as he can on the subject, taken a Kahn Academy conceptual physics course online and changed his major to physics. This summer at Windells—his fourth summer coaching—he led science and philosophy discussions with campers, sharing ideas like “How to Follow Your Bliss.”

“Most of us don’t realize how easy it actually is to just be happy,” says Keefer. “Optimism is a self-amplifying feedback loop that snowball affects your life and in turn ripple affects the lives of those around you. I have three ingredients for happiness: Do something you love and continue to progress at it, create genuine relationships and share what you love with others—or simply do something nice for someone else.”

On snow, Keefer’s unique personality shines through, which is exactly how he defines his style. “I try to think outside the box,” he says. “I try to show others there are many ways to do any one trick. Double corks aren’t everything.” Keefer says every trick—even smaller rotations and straight airs—deserve respect.

Photo by Gill Montgomery

Early in his ski career, Keefer realized blunt grabs were harder than a typical mute, safety or Japan, and he decided to perfect that aspect of his skiing. “It’s a sort of blind and small area to snag, so I think that adds to the power of blunts,” says Keefer. “Also, Candide [Thovex] uses the power of blunt in his skiing. Enough said.”

Keefer cites Thovex and Mike Hornbeck as his two main influences. “Candide’s the best and has been the best as far back as I can remember,” says Keefer. “He can flourish in the park, the pipe, the streets and big-mountain. You put Candide in any aspect of skiing, and he will do something aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.”

Keefer appreciates Hornbeck for his personality on and off the hill. “He refreshingly refuses to follow the norm and continues to surprise the snow community with what’s possible on skis,” says Keefer. “He maximizes his full capability on skis including noses, tails, presses and butters.”

Keefer has been competing in slopestyle events for a few years but hasn’t had many solid results. He knows his skiing is better suited to film, but he still likes to compete. “It’s good to put yourself in those kind of situations—when you struggle the most, you grow the most.”

He went through the AFP judging certification last season to learn more about what happens behind the scenes. Keefer questions the steno system, the short form judges use to document runs. “Our runs happen so fast, it seems hard to properly document,” says Keefer. “There are definitely subtleties that get missed and sometimes that’s frustrating. There has to be a better way—maybe more judges or more replays.”

Looking to the future, Keefer says we haven’t seen the full potential of rail skiing. “We do tricks like rollerbladers, only using the eight inches underfoot,” he says. “When you start flexing the ski and using the noses and tails and incorporate the whole ski into your trick, it’s a lot more pleasing to the eyes.”

Beyond skiing, Keefer is setting his sights high. Aiming for a PhD in physics, he wants to do nothing less than discover new planets.

“I love skiing and all, and will continue to do it as long as I can, but I know that I can do more with this mind of mine than just grab blunt.”

On Saturday, 31-year-old Aaron Karitis was caught in an avalanche near the Kicking Horse Valley west of Haines, Alaska while heli-ski guiding for Southeast Alaska Backcountry Adventures. Aaron survived his injuries until late Monday night.

Aaron, a native of Bend, Oregon and owner/founder of Pulseline Adventure, loved and respected the mountains of Alaska with every fiber of his being. With an impeccable safety record and extensive avalanche education, Aaron always aired on the side of caution. On Saturday, his conduct put the safety of his clients first.

Prior to opening a run in the “Tele Bowl” area, Aaron directed his clients to stay on the ridge while he investigated snow conditions. Atop the ridge, Aaron dug a snow pit that indicated snow conditions were safe to ski on. (This very snow pit has since been evaluated, confirming Aaron’s original assessment as accurate.) He ski cut the top of the slope to further investigate stability. This ski cut produced no results, also indicating that snow conditions were presumably safe. Aaron told his group that he would ski down slope, stop, and then radio for them to follow his tracks one skier at a time. The group had a vantage point in which they could watch his descent. As Aaron skied toward the regroup location, a large avalanche was triggered mid slope, carrying him approximately 700 feet down the slope.

After fellow guides located Aaron (who was wearing a beacon), he was extracted from four feet of snow within 15 minutes. Resuscitation efforts began immediately. He was flown by helicopter to a clinic in Haines and then transported to the Adult Critical Care Unit at the Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.

Upon arriving at Providence, Aaron’s core body temperature was critically low. He had also inhaled a great deal of snow, compromising the oxygen flow to his brain. Based on his time at Providence, doctors assured Aaron’s family that he did not experience any suffering while on the mountain. Aaron left it on the hill—as he would have wanted. His family and friends agree that Aaron would have never settled for anything less than a full recovery.

Aaron’s youth, strength, and excellent health will soon help to save more lives through organ donation.

While at Providence, Aaron was surrounded by his mother Beverly, sister Ashley, uncle Paul, and his closest friends. Aaron’s family and friends are so grateful for your thoughts, prayers, messages, and calls. The love and support has been overwhelming and continues to help them through this very sad time. His family would also like to express their gratitude for the support of the wonderful medical team at Providence.

Below is the full account of Saturday’s incident from SEABA:

On Saturday morning, Aaron and a group of clients were flown out to the Kicking Horse Valley west of Haines, Alaska. Prior to opening the second run of the day, Aaron traversed off to investigate snow conditions and directed clients to remain in a safe position atop the ridge. Aaron skied away 50 feet down slope of the group to dig a test pit to determine snowpack stability, showing no obvious signs of weakness, Aaron determined the slope safe to ski on. This very snow pit has since been evaluated, confirming Aaron’s assessment that the snow did not show obvious signs of weakness or instability.

Aaron then made a ski cut at the top of the slope to further investigate the stability of the snow. This ski cut produced no results, also indicating that snow conditions were presumably safe. Aaron then communicated to his group that he would ski to a position down slope to regroup and would radio his group from there to follow his tracks one skier at a time. The group had a vantage point in which they could watch his descent.

As he was skiing toward his regroup location, a large avalanche was triggered mid slope, engulfing him and taking him approximately 700 feet down the slope.

A separate helicopter with a guide and clients were unloading on top of the run as the avalanche was triggered. The second guide responded to Aaron’s clients communication that there had been an avalanche and a search began. Parts of the slope had not released and for the safety of the entire group, only two descended the slide path joining with a second helicopter load of guide personnel to search for Aarons beacon signal. The group was able to locate and extract him from four feet of snow within 15 minutes. Aaron was unconscious and resuscitation efforts began immediately. He was flown by helicopter to a clinic in Haines; and then transported to the Adult Critical Care Unit at the Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/heli-guide-aaron-karitis-dies-following-haines-avalanche/feed1A Man’s Course: Is women’s slopestyle skiing sustainable?http://freeskier.com/stories/mans-course-womens-slopestyle-skiing-sustainable
http://freeskier.com/stories/mans-course-womens-slopestyle-skiing-sustainable#commentsTue, 04 Feb 2014 19:47:20 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=32117It’s late April at Keystone, Colorado, and, under light blue skies interrupted only by a few puffy clouds, Maude Raymond and Tiril Sjåstad Christiansen are sessioning a private park during a rare women’s-only photoshoot. In spite of a breeze, the two ladies are trading tricks on a step over that’s 65 feet to the sweet […]

]]>It’s late April at Keystone, Colorado, and, under light blue skies interrupted only by a few puffy clouds, Maude Raymond and Tiril Sjåstad Christiansen are sessioning a private park during a rare women’s-only photoshoot. In spite of a breeze, the two ladies are trading tricks on a step over that’s 65 feet to the sweet spot. Christiansen lands a switch 10 tail grab after doing forward and switch 9s. Raymond tries a different grab on her 9s.

The following day, Keri Herman, fresh off the plane from an NBC Olympics shoot in LA, joins them. The trio migrates to a bigger jump. It’s 75 feet to the knuckle and after a few smooth tries, Christiansen goes too big, over-rotates and lands on her hip and hand. Herman and Raymond continue to session, moving from feature to feature until sunset. I miss all that as I drive Christiansen to the Vail Valley Medical Center where X-rays confirm that her hand is broken in three places. She’ll need surgery back home in Norway. The shoot’s over for Christiansen and so is her career long injury-free run.

Tiril Sjåstad Christiansen at Keystone, CO. Photo by Nate Abbott.

“It’s part of the game,” says Herman, 30. “It happens to all of us. Injuries make you think twice about pushing the limits in women’s slopestyle skiing, but you get it back.” Last season seemed particularly injury plagued for the women of freeskiing, though.

Grete Eliassen was practicing for Dew Tour at Killington, VT on a particularly windy day in January 2012 when she knuckled the bottom feature and blew her knee. “If [the jump] was smaller, it wouldn’t have happened,” says Eliassen. “Jump size is 100 percent the reason why girls are getting hurt. It’s hard to progress the sport when you’re thinking about just surviving. I’d be trying new things if jumps were smaller.”

Wint blew her ACL in December, 2012 at the Dew Tour at Breckenridge, when she came up short on a 67-foot booter. She had already cleared the jump multiple times, and she says the jump’s size wasn’t the issue. The problem was the blizzard conditions during competition.

For the most part, Wint is satisfied with the size of today’s slopestyle jumps, “I don’t think they need to get any smaller, but I don’t think they need to get any bigger.” But she admits there’s a problem. “At this rate, there is zero sustainability in women’s slopestyle skiing. When we get to the end of the season and the top 10 have been reduced to the top three, that’s ridiculous, and it doesn’t happen in any other sport.”

As female slopestyle skiers prepare for their Olympic debut, more and more are advocating for smaller jumps or separate takeoffs to combat the discipline’s growing injury rate, and to promote progression. It’s a controversial topic that some worry is a step backwards after women like Sarah Burke worked so hard to establish equal participation, prize money and exposure.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

During the women’s shoot at Keystone, Christiansen and Raymond discussed their contrary opinions. Christiansen is a fan of big jumps. The 18-year-old Norwegian, fresh off an incredibly successful rookie year that included X Games slopestyle gold, hadn’t been injured until the broken hand. She says the only courses she encountered this year in which the jumps were too big were in Whistler and Norway. Raymond, 25, and Freeskier’s 2013 Skier of the Year, started skiing in her native Québec at age 18, after competitively diving and ski racing. Six months after she hit the park, she was landing cork 10s. Six months later, she blew both ACLs and was out for a year and half. She’s broken her ankle, ribs, collarbone and back. She’s undergone eight knee surgeries in six years.

“I think women’s slope is progressing, but not at all like it should be,” said Raymond. “How can you progress a sport with two-thirds of the field out due to injury? The progression is not happening because we have huge jumps. The girls are doing 3s when they could be doing cork 9s. Everyone is for big jumps until they get hurt. If we had smaller jumps, girls would be trying cork 10s instead of just focusing on carrying enough speed to clear the jump.”

The Survey

Almost two years ago, Kristi Leskinen, with the help of We Are Snowboarding and the Association of Freeskiing Professionals, polled top male and female slopestyle skiers and snowboarders to assess their satisfaction with slopestyle courses. Ninety of them completed the anonymous survey with roughly equal representation from genders. “The survey showed that men and women actually want very different things when it comes to jump sizes and would certainly benefit from changes to current courses,” says Leskinen.

The average ideal jump size from the 40 women who filled out the survey was 55 feet, while the men polled wanted an average of 69 feet.

“Sarah Burke always hit the bigger jumps, so others presume she never would have advocated for separate takeoffs.” (See Sarah’s survey responses below.)

Leskinen’s solution was to add 10 and subtract 10 from the ideal sizes to establish a range. “If the jumps are in or below where the ranges overlap, there doesn’t need to be separate takeoffs,” says Leskinen. “Maybe you only need separate takeoffs on a couple of jumps in the course. If the men’s course has three jumps that are 60, 65 and 80 feet, maybe you only need a separate takeoff on the bottom jump.”

Leskinen assumed people would acknowledge the findings as legitimate, but the survey didn’t gain the traction she expected. Even when ESPN published the results, the title marginalized the findings: “Leskinen Vies for Smaller Jumps.” Backlash ensued. Snowboarder and X Games slopestyle medalist Spencer O’Brien argued that building smaller jumps for women would push the sport backwards. And, as is often the case, the loudest voices seemed to overwhelm the majority who had responded anonymously.

The late Sarah Burke was among those whose response was not linked to her name. She suffered many injuries from contests, including a broken back on a slopestyle course and broken nose from decking in the halfpipe. A lot of people guess what Burke would say. She always hit the bigger jumps, so others presume she never would have advocated for separate takeoffs. According to Leskinen, Burke and Turski helped her come up with the survey questions and were the first two people to fill out the form. With her husband Rory Bushfield’s permission, here are Burke’s survey results:

Survey Questions:

Q: What is the most common concern about the course at events?

Sarah Burke: Not enough available speed/can’t clear jumps.

Q: How often do competition runs reflect your best riding capabilities?

SB: Rarely.

Q: What is your ideal contest jump size?

SB: 50 Feet.

Q: How do you feel about the current jump sizes at major contests?

SB: They’re a little big. I would be more likely to do harder tricks if the jumps were smaller.

Q: Do you think having jump options would add to progression for both men and women?

SB: Yes.

“[Burke’s] survey results are right at the average,” says Leskinen. “She was never one to back down and could always step up to the plate, but her answers speak for themselves. It’s about stepping up the level of progression and increasing the number of girls competing.”

“Sarah worked really hard at getting female skiing where it is,” says Bushfield. “If the majority wants it, well then that’s what should happen, but I would hate the girls to not be able to do an event because there isn’t a separate course. I just don’t want anything that Sarah did to move backwards. I don’t know if Sarah wanted smaller jumps. She wanted the sport to progress to the best level it could. Maybe that’s not necessarily smaller jumps, maybe that’s just safer jumps.”

Jump Size and Separate Takeoffs

At the FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships in Voss, Norway, the jumps were 82, 72 and 65 feet. Even Keri Herman, who has an affinity for large jumps, says some contest jumps are just too big. “We don’t need 80-foot jumps,” says Herman. “Big jumps are badass, but yes, having smaller jumps is going to help us not be afraid and try new things. For contest jumps, there needs to be a happy medium that we can all safely ski.”

Keri Herman at Keystone, CO. Photo by Nate Abbott.

Although some ski competitors promote a maximum jump size, Herman says standardizing anything in freeskiing takes away from the sport’s creativity. Dan Skivington, ski competition director for the Dew Tour agrees. “I think we should leave the free in freeskiing,” he says. “I believe the progression of the sport should never have rules on it.” If a compromise on jump size between the men and women can’t be reached, many female slopestyle skiers see the benefit in building alternative takeoffs—lips 10 or 15 feet closer—to make existing course features safer.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/mans-course-womens-slopestyle-skiing-sustainable/feed5A La Maude: Maude Raymond is your 2013 female Skier of the Yearhttp://freeskier.com/stories/la-maude-maude-raymond-2013-female-skier-year
http://freeskier.com/stories/la-maude-maude-raymond-2013-female-skier-year#commentsSun, 12 Jan 2014 04:42:54 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=31163While training with Team Canada at Mammoth Mountain, CA, coaches told Maude Raymond to stop trying to look good. She tried to explain that she was simply working on her tricks, just like everyone else. But Raymond looks so stylish, it was hard for the team to comprehend her style’s authenticity. She says her style […]

]]>While training with Team Canada at Mammoth Mountain, CA, coaches told Maude Raymond to stop trying to look good. She tried to explain that she was simply working on her tricks, just like everyone else. But Raymond looks so stylish, it was hard for the team to comprehend her style’s authenticity. She says her style comes from doing what she loves and being comfortable with what she’s doing.

“I’ve never worked on my style,” says Raymond. “I don’t copy anyone. I do what’s comfortable and what I feel good doing.”

Keystone, CO. Photo by Nate Abbott.

Those who know the 25-year-old French Canadian skier best, praise her focus, determination, ability and style. A natural athlete, Raymond found success in precision sports like ski racing and diving, but it was freeskiing that brought out the creativity and style that separates Raymond from the pack.

“Maude has always had unbelievable style,” says Dave Pires, Raymond’s first roommate in Whistler. “Her style is her own. There’s no separation between who she is and how she skis, which is so rare.”

“Maude’s style is natural,” says friend Chris Logan. “She is real smooth and skis with great ease. No other girl in skiing skis like Maude. It’s refreshing to see a girl skier who thinks about how she looks in the air and not just about what trick she is doing.”

It was Maude’s brother, Frank Raymond, who influenced the Olympic-hopeful diver to pursue freeskiing. A style master, Frank passed along his strong opinions about style and freeskiing to his younger sister. It was a trip to visit Frank in Whistler that changed Maude’s life forever.

Raymond grew up skiing at Mont Saint-Sauveur—she started ski racing at five years old—but her passion, starting at the age of seven, was diving. She competed at an elite level for 11 years. In 2006, in between school and diving, she took a trip to Whistler, where Frank was living with a crew of freeskiers from Québec, people who lived and breathed skiing. Raymond had always enjoyed skiing, but in Whistler, she fell in love. She never took her flight home.

Keystone, CO. Photo by Nate Abbott.

“That trip just changed everything,” says Raymond. “It sounds cliché, but I found myself in Whistler. It didn’t make too much sense at first for my family, boyfriend, homies and diving coach at the time, but I was happy, and I wanted it to be my new reality. Everyone had love for a passion and lived [that passion] to the fullest. People around me finally loved.”

Pires remembers one of his first conversations with Raymond. “Maude’s English was rough at the time, and she really wanted to understand the difference between ‘like,’ ‘love’ and ‘in love.’ After I explained it, she started using the word ‘love’ for pretty much everything. Initially I thought she was mixing them up, but then I realized Maude loves everything. She said she was in love with skiing, and it was true.”

“You can see and feel that love in her style,” adds Logan. “She is always having more fun than anybody else on the hill.”

Raymond sustained her fourth ACL injury last May at Mt. Hood when she attempted a switch cork 7 and knuckled by 2 feet. She got up from the crash and skied straight down to the parking lot. She didn’t want to talk to ski patrol, she didn’t want to talk to friends. She made the three-day drive home to Québec, alone, and went in for surgery the following day. When it comes to rehab, Raymond is a professional.

She worked hard all summer with the best physical therapists and the support of family and friends. She went to bed early, woke up early and toiled every day. This season, she’s going for the Olympics.

“Her constant battle with serious injuries has made her path unimaginably difficult,” says Pires. “The obstacles she’s had to overcome would make anybody give up, but what I admire most about Maude is that she never gives up on what she loves.”

She’ll film all the qualifying contests for her popular webisode series, Maad Maude, which this season will feature more edits and higher quality production. Injuries have made Raymond stronger and more determined, but they’ve also made her resourceful. When Raymond hurt her shoulder last season and couldn’t compete, she started making edits. Raymond says she’s impressed with how popular the series has become.

“I’m really surprised with how many emails I get from people who are stoked to see me ski,” she says. “I’m like, ‘Really? With that edit?’ I’m blown away with the impact it’s had, and I’m impressed with the number of views, but it’s more the kids who come up every day and talk to me. I’m doing what I love to do, and I’m happy it makes people happy.”

When Raymond moved to Breckenridge last season, she became friends and ski partners with Keri Herman. Herman says Raymond’s creative approach has opened her eyes to new possibilities. But Herman appreciates Raymond’s character as much as her skiing. “She treats you like you’re her best friend she hasn’t seen in a million years,” says Herman. “When she’s around, you feel special. She’s dedicated and determined, but she’s also upbeat, positive, fun. She’s just a really great person to be around.”

“Whatever she does, no amount of success would surprise me,” says Pires. “I always believed she was going to be the best female park skier in the world, and I still don’t think anybody skis park with as much style as Maude.”

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/la-maude-maude-raymond-2013-female-skier-year/feed7Cannabis Country: Will legalized marijuana bolster ski tourism in CO and WA?http://freeskier.com/stories/cannabis-country-will-legalized-marijuana-bolster-ski-tourism-colorado-washington
http://freeskier.com/stories/cannabis-country-will-legalized-marijuana-bolster-ski-tourism-colorado-washington#commentsMon, 18 Nov 2013 21:03:33 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=29966On November 6, 2012, Colorado voters approved Amendment 64, making it legal for adults over the age of 21 to possess up to an ounce of recreational marijuana, grow up to six plants and purchase pot in retail stores, set to open in January. The next day, the Aspen Times ran the headline: “Aspendam?” Amsterdam […]

]]>On November 6, 2012, Colorado voters approved Amendment 64, making it legal for adults over the age of 21 to possess up to an ounce of recreational marijuana, grow up to six plants and purchase pot in retail stores, set to open in January. The next day, the Aspen Times ran the headline: “Aspendam?”

Amsterdam certainly benefits from the 1.5 million tourists who visit the city’s hundreds of cafés where marijuana and hashish are sold and consumed. Travel expert Arthur Frommer wrote in a blog post on November 28, 2012 that he predicts a “torrent of new tourism to Seattle and Denver” due to marijuana legalization and added both cities to his list of hot destinations for 2013. And Medical Marijuana Business Daily, a trade publication for the cannabis industry, suggested that the multibillion dollar ski tourism industry could soon be rivaled by Colorado’s newfound marijuana tourism.

“I think it’s going to affect Colorado ski tourism, and I think it’s going to affect it in a positive way,” says pro skier and longtime marijuana advocate Tanner Hall. “There will be no stress going to Colorado. If you like that type of medicine, that kind of relaxation, you can get it legally and not get reprimanded. It’s a stress-free environment combined with some of the best resorts and the best parks in the country.”

Imagine a group of friends from New York City seeking the winter version of a cycling trip through Napa wine country. They could ski their way through Summit County, sampling different varieties of cannabis from ski town to ski town. Seattle’s Jet City Tours already provides a tour of the city featuring legal sampling of different marijuana strains.

Not too long ago, Breckenridge legally allowed adults to possess up to one ounce in the privacy of their home and Mayor John Warner thinks the outcome of the new measure will be similar to that. “I do think we will see something of an increase [in tourism], but we didn’t see a huge increase when we legalized use of marijuana in Breckenridge three years ago,” he says. “I personally voted for [legalization] this year because I’m happy that it’s doing away with the criminal element of pot. We won’t end up with any gang-related activity with people selling on the black market. It will be regulated much like alcohol sales.”

The measure passed overwhelmingly in Colorado’s resort counties compared to other parts of the state. Two-thirds of voters in Eagle County, home to Vail Ski Resort, voted for the measure. Aspen’s Pitkin County approved the measure more than 3 to 1, and in Telluride’s San Miguel County, 8 in 10 voted for legalization—the measure’s largest victory in the state.

“It’s a big part of skiing and ski culture,” says Colorado native and professional skier John Spriggs. “But Colorado draws two separate groups. There are kids going to ski the parks and doing it cheap, and then there are the Texans who are spending thousands at Vail. You’ll get some people who are stoked on it, and there may be an incentive to come, but there are a lot of people who still have some sort of idea about weed being bad, so maybe they won’t bring their family out.”

“I smoked a joint before just about every competition I did.” – Tanner Hall

Despite the potential for increased tourism, the state’s official tourism office is worried that a pro-marijuana stance could taint the state’s image as a family friendly state focused on health and outdoors.

“I think it is too soon to tell,” says Senator Al White, Colorado Tourism office director. “The regulations governing the retail sale of marijuana still aren’t promulgated. Though the Feds [say they won’t seek prosecution,] I can tell you that my office will not use legal marijuana as a platform to market our state to travelers.”

In May, Colorado governor John Hickenlooper signed a series of bills into law that regulate the use of legal, recreational pot. Visitors to the state are allowed to possess and consume marijuana under the new laws, though purchases for non-Colorado residents are limited to one-quarter of an ounce. Another measure included in the legislative package set blood limits for driving while under the influence of marijuana at 5 nanograms per milliliter.

“There are some financial positives,” says Warner. “Depending on what our neighbors like Silverthorne and Vail decide, Breckenridge could become the regional center for the sale of marijuana, which would only add to our sales tax revenues.”

The market for direct sales of marijuana in Colorado is estimated to be approximately $600 million in the first year of legalization, and the state’s revenue is expected to increase by about $130 million.

Retail sales won’t begin until January 2014. In the meantime, local governments have until October to decide whether they will offer licenses to marijuana businesses. More than 25 Colorado municipalities, such as Greeley and Montrose, have already approved bans on recreational pot shops. In Greeley, council members cited public health issues, including potential harm to young people.

“I see younger kids who think it’s OK to smoke pot on Main Street. It’s not,” says Warner. “It’s just like alcohol—you’re not supposed to be driving or walking around town.”

Amendment 64 doesn’t allow the use of marijuana in public, for instance, at a ski resort. And according to the Colorado Ski Safety Act of 1979, “No person shall move uphill on any passenger tramway or use any ski slope or trail while such person’s ability to do so is impaired by the consumption of alcohol or by the use of any controlled substance, or other drug.”

“Personally, I definitely think it’s safe to smoke and ski,” says Hall. “I smoked a joint before just about every competition I did. But everybody reacts different to it.”

Though the possession of marijuana is legal in Colorado and Washington, using the drug remains illegal under the federal Controlled Substances Act. In late August, the Justice Department announced it won’t challenge state laws that legalize marijuana and rather, will focus federal enforcement on trafficking cases and keeping the drug out of the hands of children.

“Everyone is waiting to see what happens with this before deciding on any action,” says Jennifer Rudolph of Colorado Ski Country USA, a trade association representing 21 Colorado resorts. “The state needs to work out the details, and there are still a lot of variables, so resorts are on a wait and see pattern.”

Hall thinks it’s too soon for resorts to market to marijuana consumers. “It’s the early stages,” he says. “We need to see how it goes. We’re going to look back 30 years from now and wonder why it was illegal, but we have to go through a lot to get there.”

This article originally appeared in the 2013 October issue of Freeskier, Volume 16.2. The October issue is available on newsstands beginning 9/17/13. Freeskier Magazine is also available via the iTunes newsstand.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/cannabis-country-will-legalized-marijuana-bolster-ski-tourism-colorado-washington/feed2Destination: Red Mountain, BC growing to offer more amazing skiinghttp://freeskier.com/stories/destination-red-mountain-bc-growing-offer-amazing-skiing
http://freeskier.com/stories/destination-red-mountain-bc-growing-offer-amazing-skiing#commentsThu, 17 Oct 2013 03:44:46 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=29247You can tell a lot about a ski area by its base lodge. There are plenty built to impress, offering valet parking, chandeliers and four-star dining, but you’ll find fewer of the worn-in, utilitarian variety. The kind marked by cubbies overflowing with kids’ gear, retired guys sharing brown-bag lunches on picnic tables and a fabled […]

]]>You can tell a lot about a ski area by its base lodge. There are plenty built to impress, offering valet parking, chandeliers and four-star dining, but you’ll find fewer of the worn-in, utilitarian variety. The kind marked by cubbies overflowing with kids’ gear, retired guys sharing brown-bag lunches on picnic tables and a fabled bar where live music shakes 200-year-old timbers.

Two and a half hours north of Spokane, WA in the West Kootenay region of the Interior of British Columbia, Canada, Red Mountain has a true ski club feel. In fact, up until the late 1980s, it was just that—a ski area owned by the town and operated by its members. Today, with free parking, sub-$80 lift tickets and empty lift lines, the place has all the makings of a great little ski area. But Red is far from little. With its new expansion of 1,000 acres (including an entire new peak: Grey Mountain), the resort is now bigger than Jackson Hole and sits in the top three percent of North American resorts in terms of skiable acres.

Photos by Dave Heath. Below: Michelle Rudell (Skier)

“It’s a mountain you can ski 360 degrees off one chairlift,” says Dane Tudor, who lives in Rossland, BC, 10 minutes from Red Mountain. “A lot of places you traverse and run into cat tracks. Here, you ski fall line.” Tudor’s skiing style has evolved over the years, as has his favorite line. “When I was younger, I always went off the backside of Granite,” he says. “Now, I hit the shoulders. They’re longer and more gladed. The backside is steeper with terrain that goes from cliffy to mellow, while the frontside offers longer pitches and smoother runs.”

Despite the $50-million upgrade, North America’s third oldest ski resort hasn’t deviated from its authenticity. Just look to its sizable retirement crew—people like Dan Loukras and his gang of bearded guys in their 50s and 60s who meet at the base most every day. Decades ago, “Danimal” read an article about three under-the-radar ski areas and drove west across Canada. His plan was to hit Red Mountain, then Fernie and Silverstar before choosing his favorite, but after one ride up Red’s Motherlode chairlift and a powder filled descent, he traded in his day ticket for a season pass.

I’m riding the Motherlode with Dan on a hard-pack day, but it’s clear we’re on one of the world’s great chairlifts. The slow triple ascends the north face of 6,807-foot Granite Mountain. Interesting lines are visible from flank to flank, but the consistently steep fall-line shot directly beneath the chair looks like the ultimate line on a deep Kootenay powder day. As we creep along, Dan says the chair needs to be slow to let your legs recover after skiing the almost 3,000 feet of vertical below.

Our group skis off the backside of Granite and throws on skins for a quick hike up Grey Mountain. We’re still inbounds and for $10, we could have taken a cat to the top. Though it’s either a cat ride or your own two feet that will get you up this year, at the summit, we see stakes marking the location of a new lift that will make this 1,000 acres of new terrain even easier to lap in 2013-14. Facing the resort, the south side offers intermediate tree skiing, while the north side serves up shorter, steeper shots littered with cliffs and interesting features.

We’re headed one peak farther to the north. We ski off the top of Grey, beyond the boundary, to our next staging area. Less than an hour of switchbacks later, we’re at the wind scoured summit of Mount Kirkup, looking over the expansive Monashee and Selkirk mountain ranges. Our group of six enjoys 2,000 feet of boot deep turns from the summit down to the highway, where Dan’s friend has parked a truck. We’re back at the resort in time for a few more inbounds laps before closing.

Until this season, Red Mountain consisted of two peaks—Granite, offering the majority of the resort’s terrain, and Red, a smaller 1,500-foot peak served by a double chair. Of Red’s 88 named runs, 75 percent aren’t groomed. It’s tree skiing at its finest, and with so many acres, even locals can’t find some of the stashes twice. “We ski so many more acres of this resort than others of similar size,” says vice president of business development and former general manager, Erik Kalacis. “Of our 2,685 acres, there are probably only 85 acres you can’t ski.”

One of Canada’s highest towns, Rossland is built into the surrounding mountains. Colorful, old mining homes line roads that are as steep as San Francisco’s and a lot windier. A three-block drag of the extra-wide Main Street comprises most of the town’s businesses and all of the action happening in this town of roughly 3,500 residents, most of whom live here to ski or mountain bike.

The history around here dates back to the 1890s, when deposits of gold-copper ore were found on the south side of Red Mountain. The gold rush filled Rossland with miners, mostly Scandinavians who brought with them their knowledge and love of skiing. They put up a ski lift in 1947 and founded the Rossland Ski Club, which held the first recorded ski competitions in Canada. In 1968, the Red Mountain Ski Club hosted Canada’s first World Cup and Rossland native Nancy Greene won her second World Cup championship on home turf.

A legacy of ski racing is part of the reason why professional artist Stephanie Gauvin is here. Her husband is a coach at the ski academy, and her two kids are in the race program. “It’s a small place with all the good stuff, where you don’t have to compete for powder,” says Gauvin. “There aren’t any lineups, and you can still find powder in the afternoon. And when it’s all skied, you can go to Grey or Roberts.”

The lift-accessed backcountry skiing at Red is as user friendly as it gets—sub peaks in every direction, accessible aspects or terrain to match any conditions and the perfect adventure whether you have an hour or five. For some more exploring, I’ve met up with fellow visitors Lexi Dupont, Jacqui Edgerly, and Kasha Rigby, and Gauvin leads our female posse to Mount Roberts. It’s an easy 30-minute skin from the resort to Robert’s summit, and we ski right to a lift in Paradise Basin. The site of the Canadian Open Freeskiing Championship, Robert’s 50-degree face is filled with interesting and challenging lines.

Back at the base, it’s time to experience Rafters, the legendary bar that’s won accolades such as “Best Ski Town Bar,” among others. The bar used to be located on the top floor of the lodge, and locals remember when beer trickled through the rafters and into the cafeteria. It has since moved downstairs, but the old timbers remain intact, giving the place a worn-in, welcoming feel that’s hard to find in a resort lodge these days. The place is packed, and before we know it, it’s well past dinnertime. R&B singer Allen Stone takes the stage, filling the room with vocal melodies that make heads turn and embody the very soul of this place.

Note: In addition to the expansion of Grey Mountain, Red is also adding 400 acres of new cat-accessed terrain on White Wolf Ridge. For $10 per ride, you’ll gain access to a mile-wide ridge of open glades and 1,000 feet of vert.

This article originally appeared in the 2013 October issue of Freeskier, Volume 16.2. The October issue is available on newsstands beginning 9/17/13. Freeskier Magazine is also available via the iTunes newsstand.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/destination-red-mountain-bc-growing-offer-amazing-skiing/feed1Final Thought, May 2013: Sometimes the hardest part is quittinghttp://freeskier.com/stories/final-thought-may-2013-sometimes-the-hardest-part-is-quitting
http://freeskier.com/stories/final-thought-may-2013-sometimes-the-hardest-part-is-quitting#commentsFri, 31 May 2013 06:59:11 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=25952Photo by Elina Sirparanta It wasn’t the ascent of the Chardonnet Glacier in blizzard conditions, or skinning with 50-lb packs or the lack of wood for heat through single-digit nights. No, the hardest part of our Haute Route trip was quitting. The odds were in our favor. We had the best guide in the Alps, […]

Photo by Elina Sirparanta

It wasn’t the ascent of the Chardonnet Glacier in blizzard conditions, or skinning with 50-lb packs or the lack of wood for heat through single-digit nights. No, the hardest part of our Haute Route trip was quitting. The odds were in our favor. We had the best guide in the Alps, a strong crew, a deep, relatively stable snowpack and an early start to the spring hut season. But out of nowhere, the temps skyrocketed. In Verbier, wet slides went to the ground. Four days into our 10-day trip, our guide said it was shaping up to be the most dangerous week of the winter.

I thought of the months Julien Regnier had spent planning the route, the money we’d spent to get to Chamonix, the gear we had dropped ahead, the story I was supposed to write… But I was fortunate the guide made the call. Who knows what we would have decided on our own. It’s hard to turn around when so much is invested. The ability to quit is perhaps the hardest skill of backcountry skiing and the most underrated. There’s no reward for not accomplishing a goal except the promise of tomorrow, which, when you are a skier, is the greatest prize of all.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/final-thought-may-2013-sometimes-the-hardest-part-is-quitting/feed1“McConkey” premieres before sold-out crowd at Tribeca Film Festival in NYChttp://freeskier.com/stories/mcconkey-premieres-in-new-york-city
http://freeskier.com/stories/mcconkey-premieres-in-new-york-city#commentsWed, 24 Apr 2013 00:15:38 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=25672Unlike most ski film premieres, the ski industry made up only one row of the theater at Loews Village 7 when “McConkey” premiered Sunday afternoon at New York City’s Tribeca Film Festival. But listening to the crowd’s frequent laughs, gasps of awe and enthusiastic applause, we could have been in any ski town theater. Produced […]

]]>Unlike most ski film premieres, the ski industry made up only one row of the theater at Loews Village 7 when “McConkey” premiered Sunday afternoon at New York City’s Tribeca Film Festival. But listening to the crowd’s frequent laughs, gasps of awe and enthusiastic applause, we could have been in any ski town theater.

Produced by Matchstick Productions and Red Bull Media House, McConkey documents the life and tragic death of Shane McConkey, the most charismatic, revolutionary and influential skier of our time. The two-and-a-half-year project beautifully weaves MSP’s 17 years of McConkey clips and Shane’s 20 years of personal footage—most of it never before seen—to tell a comprehensive story of one of the most interesting lives lived.

It’s a linear look at Shane’s life, from his first runs at Squaw, to ski racing at Burke Mountain Academy to flunking out of the University of Colorado to winning the Pro Mogul Tour. We get to know Shane, a somewhat troubled teen whose maturity level never really graduates from eighth grade—naked skiing is a common theme. We meet Shane’s parents. His father, pro skier Jim McConkey, is absent most of his childhood, which may have deeply affected Shane. We learn the camera’s significance in Shane’s life and his desire to document everything from backflips into the lake to late-night reflections on life.

As the years roll on, Shane hits his stride and we witness an evolution from freeskier to film star, to ski inventor, to BASE jumper to ski BASE jumper. We watch Shane fall in love with the beautiful and courageous Sherry, get married on the beach in Thailand and become a father to a little girl named Ayla. Sherry, who in the early stages of the relationship eagerly supports Shane’s daily adrenaline fueled outings, naturally begins to worry about Shane’s dangerous endeavors. But she obviously loves Shane for exactly the man he is and compares trying to stifle his passions to caging an eagle.

It’s a documentary rooted in action. Shane fans will appreciate everything from his first backflip off the Palisades to his revolutionary Alaskan descent on water skis. The BASE jumping, wingsuit flying and ski BASE jumping footage from the world’s most scenic locations is absolutely mind blowing.

Directors Steve Winter, Murray Wais, Scott Gaffney, David Zieff, and Rob Bruce hosted a Q&A with the audience after the screening. Shane’s close friend and ski BASE partner JT Holmes (who was with Shane when he died) answered an audience member’s: “do-you-think-it-was-worth-it” question. Holmes said absolutely not, stressing that Sherry and Ayla were the most important things in Shane’s life.

“Human beings have certain things in them that are innate,” continued Holmes. “Adventure, exploration, pushing what’s possible for humans… that was innate in Shane and couldn’t be changed.”

Directory Murray Wais of Matchstick Productions said he hoped audiences feel a sense of joy and life and celebration from the film. “At the end of the day, we should all evaluate our life and how we want to live it,” he said.

Someone asked if Shane was the same off camera and Gaffney affirmed. “What everyone saw on film—the goofball he was—was one fraction of the guy Shane was in real life,” he said. “I spent so much time going through the footage, I felt like I was hanging out with Shane. I’d go to bed feeling like I had just been hanging out with my best friend three years after he died.”

The final comment came from an older woman with a thick New York accent: “Thank you so much for making such a beautiful film,” she said. “A film that shows a life without passion for something, really isn’t a life.”

It’s a ski bum’s dream—a week in Alaska with sleds and three buddies. For Aspen skier Austin Nelson, it was his second trip up north, his second shot at that dream and his first day on the Worthington Glacier, 30 minutes from Valdez. Nelson saw multiple helicopters fly through the bluebird sky and ski tracks everywhere he looked. He and a friend had just made their first tracks of the day and reconvened with the sleds. Nelson left the group and traversed across the slope to get a better look at their next line. He stopped about 200 feet from his friends, perpendicular to the fall line, and began sinking. All of a sudden, he began to free fall into total darkness. “I had no idea how far I was falling or where I was falling to, but I knew that that was it,” says Nelson.

He ping-ponged violently back and forth, from ice wall to ice wall, picking up speed until he landed on his back in a place that had never seen the light of day. As soon as he tried to stand, he knew his leg was severely broken. He didn’t know how far he’d fallen or if he’d be able to hear anyone, not only because he was god-knows-how-far down a crevasse but also because Nelson is deaf.

Thumbs up from Austin Nelson

His right hearing aid was compromised in the fall, so Nelson turned up the volume on his left hearing aid and sat in the darkness, waiting and hoping. Twenty agonizing minutes later, he heard the best sound he’d ever heard, “Austin!”

When Nelson was finally raised out of the crevasse, his body temperature was a dangerous 88 degrees. He had fallen more than 60 feet. “I’m so glad my left hearing aid was intact, allowing me to communicate with my rescuers,” says Nelson. Had that not been the case, the rescue could have been much more complicated and time consuming.

Nelson, 27, was born with damaged cochleae. Without hearing aids, he has 65-percent hearing loss in his left ear and 85-percent loss in his right. In elementary school, he wore a bulky pack on his waist with wires up to his ears. His teachers wore devices around their necks and the system worked like a two-way radio. “I got picked on a lot,” remembers Nelson, who learned to read lips and underwent speech therapy from ages 4 to 12. “I was always trying to decipher what people were saying.”

But the technology evolved rapidly, which Austin says is critical when you rely on it “all day, every day.” He remembers when hearing aids switched from analog to digital. He heard sounds he had never heard before, from the alarm on his watch to his own voice. “It took some time just to get used to my own voice as well, which sounds completely different.” Now, his hearing aids use Bluetooth to wirelessly sync to his iPhone, iPod and other devices. In a crowded bar, the aids automatically enhance human voices and soften background noise. “It’s cool having volume control,” says Nelson. “I can turn people down when I want.”

After graduating from University of Denver in 2008 with a degree in international business, Nelson moved to Aspen, where he’s skied at least 100 days each season. Last spring, he and a partner won “Battle of the Bowls,” a prestigious local race that uses GPS devices to time teams on their descents of the various bowls of Aspen Highlands. “He’s a strong, agile, powerful skier,” says Aspen Valley Ski Club coach JF Bruegger. “You can definitely see that racing background. He’s awesome to ski with. Everyone in our crew has their music in when they’re skiing, so I tend to forget he’s deaf.”

Nelson grew up in Connecticut, where his parents taught him to ski on weekend trips to Mohawk and occasional trips to Killington. “I’d ski without my hearing aid and forget I was hearing impaired. It was just me and the mountain.” Nelson started ski racing when he transferred to Green Mountain Valley School, an elite ski academy. He heard about the Deaflympics during his junior year, from a professor with a deaf son.

Held every four years since 1924, the International Olympic Committee-sanctioned Deaflympics is the second oldest international multisport event in the world. In 1949, the Deaflympics drew 1,000 athletes from around the world. Now, the event draws more than 2,500 athletes from 30 countries. Athletes in the Deaflympics can’t use hearing aids. Countdowns and timing cues are visual. Cross-country skiers tap the racer ahead of them with a pole to signal a pass. When a penalty is called in hockey, strobe lights flash around the rink.

At age 17, Nelson competed in the US Deaf Ski and Snowboard Association qualifiers, where he won the slalom and joined the US Deaflympic team. He earned a two-week break from school to train at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid. Nelson was assigned a sign interpreter (he doesn’t know sign language), and he then headed to Sundsvall, Sweden.

After crashing in the first run of the slalom event, Nelson ran last on the second run and notched the fastest time. When he placed sixth in the downhill, officials paid him a surprise visit and tested to make sure he met Deaflympics standards of not being able to naturally hear sounds softer than 55 decibels. He passed the test. “It was the first time in my life I was stoked to be deaf,” he says. Four years later at the Deaflympics in Park City, Utah, Nelson tied for third in super G and became the first American to medal in an alpine skiing event in Deaflympics history.

It was the first time in my life I was stoked to be deaf.

When the next Deaflympics were announced for Vysoke Tatry, Slovakia, Nelson began researching the High Tatras. Like his teammates in the US and comrades around the world, he fundraised to train like an Olympic hopeful and pay for his journey to Slovakia. But in February 2011, less than a week before Nelson was set to fly to Slovakia, the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) announced the 17th Winter Deaflympic Games would be canceled because of “the local organizing committee’s comprehensive failure to deliver on its promises.”

Some athletes arrived to nonexistent hotel reservations. The Canadian hockey team arrived to ice rinks still under construction. “I’d been a part of two Deaflympics, and they were so well organized,” says Nelson. “I never could have imagined this happening.” The president of the Slovakian Deaflympics Organizing Committee, Jaromir Ruda, was eventually found guilty of embezzlement and sentenced to 13 years in prison. “I feel bad for the first-time competitors,” says Nelson. “They might never know how amazing the event is.” The next Deaflympics will take place in 2015 in Vancouver, Canada.

“It will have been eight years since the last Deaflympics,” says Nelson. “There is going to be that new 17-year-old kid. I will be almost 30…” But after surviving a fall into a crevasse, Nelson has a renewed determination. During the fall, he shattered the base of his left tibia in 11 places and snapped his fibula. He’s now dealing with 12 screws and five plates. His doctor says he won’t be skiing this winter, but Nelson says otherwise. “I’ll be back this season to defend my Battle of the Bowls title. And then I want gold in Vancouver.”

]]>The late skier and mountaineer Steve Romeo coined the phrase “Live to Ski.” He was consumed with the experience of human powered skiing. That passion was expressed in the Tetons—a range that provided Romeo with endless inspiration.

Jackson Hole’s Exum Mountain Guides’ new ski mountaineering camp captures Romeo’s “Live to Ski” spirit and offers ski mountaineering progression for a younger generation of skiers who aspire to ride big lines in the great ranges of the world.

“It’s our top of the line, super high-end camp for people who are looking to go on and independently accomplish great things in the mountains,” says Exum guide Zahan Billimoria. This camp is about turning people into ski mountaineers who can take leadership roles and ski big lines off peaks around the world.”

Jackson local David Sokol, an avid backcountry skier, and his wife Peggy met Steve and were inspired to carry on the legacy. They created a fund that’s part of the Steve Romeo Memorial Fund to offer one full-ride scholarship for the camp every year for the next 15 years.

“We are looking for a person who can demonstrate that they have invested a part of their lives to becoming a proficient ski mountaineer,” says Billimoria.
The camp isn’t for everyone. It’s designed for someone who has been developing his or her own skills—someone who has steep skiing experience, has used ice axes and crampons and who is ready to take it to the next level. The camp will teach aspiring ski mountaineers how to assess terrain and use modern tools to mitigate risk in big terrain.

The four-day preparatory course will begin with two days of skills development and high angle ski techniques, anchor construction, belayed skiing and rappelling—all held high in the Tetons. The second portion of the course will entail skiing a major Teton objective such as the Skillet Glacier on Mt. Moran, or another route off of a major Teton summit.

Details:

Dates: May 8-11, 2013
Price: $995 per person
To reserve your place, call Exum at 307.733.2297
To apply for a scholarship, email: exum@exumguides.com

If you are new to backcountry skiing, Exum is leading the new Jackson Summit Camp in conjunction with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. The three-day camp, March 14-16, includes two days of tram accessed skiing and one day of backcountry touring in Grand Teton National Park. ($1,200 with lifts tickets).

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/live-to-ski-jackson-hole-backcountry-camp-tributes-steve-romeo/feed0The Thrill of the Chase: From Aspen to Snowbird on a predictionhttp://freeskier.com/stories/thrill-of-chase-aspen-snowbird
http://freeskier.com/stories/thrill-of-chase-aspen-snowbird#commentsTue, 12 Feb 2013 23:02:49 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=24548Storm chasing requires flexibility. And more time than money. I had just returned from 10 days on the road when two hours later a one-way ride to Utah materialized in my driveway in Colorado. My bags were filled with dirty clothes. I was tired of sleeping on couches. I was behind on work. My significant […]

]]>Storm chasing requires flexibility. And more time than money. I had just returned from 10 days on the road when two hours later a one-way ride to Utah materialized in my driveway in Colorado. My bags were filled with dirty clothes. I was tired of sleeping on couches. I was behind on work. My significant other was neglected. But the forecast for the Wasatch was 12-24” over the weekend. I threw the unpacked bags in the car and sometime after midnight fell asleep on a futon in Park City.

Photo: Jacqui Edgerly

It wasn’t the 3-5” predicted Friday and 3-7” predicted overnight, the real storm was predicted to arrive Saturday afternoon. I imagined late afternoon storm skiing—the best. The flakes eventually started falling, but too few and too light. It was still a great day at Snowbird—my best resort day of 2013. A mid-winter Saturday and never more than a one-tram wait. Baldy is thin, but it was boot-deep . The Cirque was chalky. Even until the end there were fresh pockets on every run. The Sitzmark delivered the perfect après and by 8pm in Salt Lake it was full-on dumping.

Sunday morning snowfall totals reached six inches at Snowbird and a little more at Alta. Everyone thought it would be double that. That’s how much fell in town. I joined friends who splurged on a half-day private at Snowbird for the morning, which meant backdoor trams. (If you know it’s going to be epic and you have five friends who can throw down $100 each, this is the way). I didn’t think it’d be worth it, but we skied more laps in a single morning than a normal weekend of skiing. And even if it’s not blower, scoring fresh tracks is always satisfying. Especially when it’s at Snowbird.

Skier: Jacqui Edgerly | Photo: McKenna Peterson

And there were still four hours left to ski Alta. Following Leo Ahrens, Hayden Price, Chuck Mumford, Claudia Bouvier, Lexi Dupont and Jacqui Edgerly is pretty much video game skiing (Lexi and Jacqui drove from Sun Valley for the storm). It was one of those posse ski days where you’re hanging it out there every run, barely avoiding disaster around every corner. The traverses are bony, but we just went faster. Sure there were some bumps, but the snow was good. Really good, actually. Alta’s hidden nooks and crannies are endless. With the right crew, bell-to-bell, Snowbird and Alta is about as good of a resort day as you can have.

Skier: Lexi Dupont | Photo: McKenna Peterson

I didn’t spend a minute pining over the storm that didn’t materialize. It was a great exercise in letting go. Sometimes forecasts deliver. Sometimes they disappoint. But skiing never really disappoints.

I even found a ride home in a nice Audi with an Aspen mom who skied as the stunt double for Bryce in Aspen Extreme.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/thrill-of-chase-aspen-snowbird/feed0Dynafit launches new Beast 16 freeride touring binding in the Dolomiteshttp://freeskier.com/stories/dynafit-launches-new-beast-16-freeride-touring-binding-in-the-dolomites
http://freeskier.com/stories/dynafit-launches-new-beast-16-freeride-touring-binding-in-the-dolomites#commentsMon, 14 Jan 2013 23:50:00 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=23964While most every ski outlet posted news of Dynafit’s new Beast 16 on Friday, Freeskier was posted up in a remote hut in the Dolomites with the German based company, checking out the highly anticipated freeride touring binding first hand. Dynafit’s International Press Launch at the Refugio Fanes in a national park in northern Italy […]

]]>While most every ski outlet posted news of Dynafit’s new Beast 16 on Friday, Freeskier was posted up in a remote hut in the Dolomites with the German based company, checking out the highly anticipated freeride touring binding first hand. Dynafit’s International Press Launch at the Refugio Fanes in a national park in northern Italy offered the first opportunity to see the Beast 16, as well as demo 2013/14 boots, skis and apparel in an authentic alpine setting.

You can read the PR about the products, but what we witnessed while touring with Dynafit’s brand managers and designers, was passion and authenticity. Every employee there was a competent backcountry skier. Many are serious ski mountaineers. One gave a presentation on his solo ascent of a notorious Himalayan peak.

So when Dynafit Product Manager and speed mountaineer Schorsch Nickaes says, “We don’t know if it’s work or leisure time, if it’s weekend or weekdays. We live what we do and do what we live,” it seems genuine. Two apparel managers and a boot line manager even drove two hours to take us on an all-day tour the day after the press event finished.

What’s clear is that the company listens to its customers. It’s innovation at its best—Dynafit is always tweaking, improving and progressing. Right now, they are listening to North American backcountry skiers and delivering exactly what you’ve been asking for—a burly freeride touring binding that’s almost a kilogram lighter than its competition.

Dynafit athlete and consultant Eric Hjorleifson teamed up with Swedish engineer and former professional big mountain skier Fredrik Andersson to create a tech binding to satisfy the most aggressive backcountry skiers. The Beast 16’s sophisticated release mechanism provides release at both the toe and heel units, while the rotating steel toe piece minimizes the chance of pre-release.

Weighing in at 935 grams per binding, the Beast 16 is now the lightest weight touring binding with a Release Value of 16 (the DIN of 16 isn’t yet certified to DIN/ISO standard). But it’s not only its weight that pushes it ahead of the field, it’s the fact it’s frameless. Not only are you saving effort by lifting nothing more than your boot each step, but your boot rests flat on the ski—a huge deal on both the up and the down. The lower the stackheight, the easier when it comes to challenging uptracks (think firm, sidehill skinning) and rocker ski performance. And a wide baseplate increases torsional rigidity.

Instead of focusing on price ($1,000 a pop) or availability (only 850 pairs will release in the U.S. this fall), think of this launch as a revolutionary step in binding innovation. For most, Dynafit’s popular TLT Radical FT, with a Release Value of 12, is still the best touring binding on the market. It’s light and unless you tour in huge skis and land big drops on a regular basis, it’s beast enough.

Dynafit’s stiffest, most downhill oriented touring boot, the Vulcan, is the Beast 16’s obvious match, but new this year is the TLT 6 boot. Combining the best attributes of the Vulcan and the current TLT 5, it’s the most versatile touring boot with widest range of use. It’s stiffer, lighter and more comfortable than its predecessor and unlike the Vulcan’s flat “freeride” sole, the TLT 6 retains a rockered sole, which if you’re serious about the up, greatly increases comfort and efficiency. You might have to get used to skiing in a lower shell, but its goal is optimal comfort on the way up. The boot isn’t compatible with frame bindings, so you’ll need a pair of tech bindings (which you want anyway). Dynafit articulated the cuff buckle, which eases walk/ski mode transitions. Once that UltraLock Buckle is closed, it’s a stiff downhill boot. The rear spoiler (patent pending) slides inside the cuff, allowing what Dynafit calls the widest and smoothest cuff rotation possible (60º). You can adjust forward lean by removing or reassembling two fastening Torx screws. The boot comes with two extra tongues to customize stiffness depending on the situation (alpine climbing or après).

The ladies have the Mercury Women’s TF to look forward to. Dynafit’s women customers used to choose between a lightweight but soft women’s specific boot (TLT 5 Women’s Mountain) or a high performance men’s boot. Now, no compromises. The hard charging female backcountry skier can drive any big mountain ski, in any touring binding on the market, with the Mercury Women’s TF. It has all the features of the men’s boot—adjustable forward stiffness with a removable Downhill Booster Tongue, a third buckle for added stiffness and heel retention, stiffer foam—designed for the female leg/foot.

Dynafit’s new skis include a high performance ski that weighs less than one kilogram. Yes, you read that right. But the ski you want to mount up with the Beast 16 is the Huascaran, Dynafit’s most aggressive ski. The 186 length is 114 underfoot. Staying true to the brand, it’s a clean, functional ski with the right amount of sidecut, taper, and rocker. Of course, it’s still lightweight thanks to beech and bamboo stringers. It’s a practical backcountry powder ski, and with the Beast 16 and a pair of Vulcans, you’re ready for anything out there.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/dynafit-launches-new-beast-16-freeride-touring-binding-in-the-dolomites/feed2Professional Skiers | Tom Wallisch is the 2012 Skier of the Yearhttp://freeskier.com/stories/tom-wallisch-is-the-2012-skier-of-the-year
http://freeskier.com/stories/tom-wallisch-is-the-2012-skier-of-the-year#commentsTue, 08 Jan 2013 19:40:51 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=23807Among the best professional skiers, Tom Wallisch is FREESKIER’s skier of the year for the second time in three years, beating out finalist Henrik Harlaut with over 27,000 votes cast online in November. Last season, Wallisch landed on seven podiums and won two X Games medals—gold in Aspen and silver at Euro X. He took […]

Among the best professional skiers, Tom Wallisch is FREESKIER’s skier of the year for the second time in three years, beating out finalist Henrik Harlaut with over 27,000 votes cast online in November.

Last season, Wallisch landed on seven podiums and won two X Games medals—gold in Aspen and silver at Euro X. He took first at the Breckenridge and Killington Dew Tour stops, second at the Dew Tour stop at Snowbasin, and won the overall Dew Cup. He was also named 2012 Men’s Slopestyle World Champion and came in first in the AFP Slopestyle World Rankings.

It was a season that would send some skiers on vacation to Hawaii by mid-March, but, even after sprinkling video shoots into his contest schedule, the day after he secured the Dew Tour overall, Wallisch hopped a 6 a.m. flight to Japan and spent the rest of the season filming. During one six-day trip to Anchorage, Alaska, with Level 1, the crew got only three to four hours of sleep per day.

“In my 13 years of making films, it was the most insane, sleepless, hectic week that I’ve ever witnessed,” says Level 1 founder Josh Berman. “And the stuff Tom wanted to do was so consequential. I thought, ‘Wow, there is nobody out there who would have this approach and put this all on the line at this point in the season.’”

On the third day of the trip, they shot a feature all afternoon, shot another at 4 a.m. and planned to shoot something off the roof of a fairly major building in downtown Anchorage that had to be done at the very moment of sunrise. After a couple of hours of sleep in the car, the alarms went off at 6:45 a.m. Everyone wondered whether they shouldn’t just call the shoot, but a sleep-deprived, pale, wiped-out Wallisch peeled his eyelids open and said, “Let’s do this.”

After almost a week of around-the-clock insanity, the crew took a red-eye from Anchorage to Reno (after an afternoon shoot), got in at 10 a.m, jumped in the car, drove to Mammoth, geared up and took the lift up to a Monster Energy team shoot.

A lot of skiers in Wallisch’s position, having accomplished so much in the sport, might look at skiing as a job, but Berman says that’s not how Wallisch views it. “He skis because he loves it. He works hard to get the mind-blowing shots because he wants to challenge himself. That’s really what sets him apart.”

Photo by Nate Abbott in Mottolino.

Wallisch isn’t a rock star; he’s the kid next door, and that’s just the person people want to root for. His mass appeal stems from fans relating to him. He comes from Pittsburgh, grew up skiing a tiny resort and never had a personal coach. Nothing was handed to him. Wallisch even looks normal. He’s not an intimidating jock. He’s not noticeably ripped or particularly tall. He doesn’t have the chiseled jaw line of a male model. He’s your average, everyday 25-year-old guy.

Even after one of the best competition seasons a slopestyle skier could dream of, Wallisch is still a personality kids can relate to. “He’s not super far out there,” adds Berman. “He doesn’t have a persona that scares people away. He’s very approachable.”

Wallisch was the one who made it clear that fame, fortune and success could be achieved in the ski industry through alternative channels. With 107,000 Facebook fans and 23,000 Twitter followers, Wallisch owns the online ski community. “I came onto the scene right as online edits, YouTube and Facebook were blowing up,” says Wallisch. “I’ve been doing Facebook since the beginning. We’ve been putting out edits for seven years and developing a good name on YouTube and Vimeo. I’ve had lots of time to develop a fan base on the Internet.”

Wallisch was in the right place at the right time, but his father, Mike, says it’s something beyond the timing. “He has a contagious love of skiing that he wants to share. Somehow that comes across in his videos.”

Wallisch’s fans have been supportive since the beginning. They knew him on Newschoolers before he even won the 2007 Superunknown contest, Level 1’s talent search. “The first time we saw that edit, it opened our eyes,” says Berman. “He displayed far and away the most diverse and technical skill set we had seen, period. He did every trick in the book, every rail combo we’d ever thought of.”

A #SOTY worthy rail gap to fakie, landing on the dark, icy side of the 9 Knights castle. Photo by Nate Abbott in Mottolino.

Wallisch was invited to Level 1’s park shoots that spring. He was 19. “We had a true step-over style jump at Copper, and every time he hit it, he did a different trick,” says Berman. “Nine times out of ten, it was a trick he hadn’t tried before, and he stomped it. It was the upper echelon of tricks at the time, not the stuff you just try and stomp the first time at a photoshoot on a big jump.” As a semi-unsponsored rookie, he scored three magazine cover shots from those spring shoots and a partial segment in Level 1’s Realtime, released in September 2007.

Since that movie, Tom has filmed segments with Field, Level 1, 4bi9, Stept and TGR, all while competing full time in dominant fashion. His footage isn’t filled with backcountry jumping, but overall the segments are comparable to those of most full-time film skiers, and his urban footage includes some of the biggest hammers ever captured on video. Kyle Decker, a former Level 1 cinematographer who has been working with Wallisch since 2006, says Wallisch is the same guy he shot six years ago, pre fame and fortune.

“I shot with him back when he was a poor college kid. Now, he’s a superstar skier who’s made a little money, but it hasn’t changed anything. If anything, I think he’s relaxed a little because he doesn’t have as much to prove. His lifestyle hasn’t changed—he lives the same way. He’s not buying really ridiculous things or acting different. He’s the same old Tom.”

This season, Wallisch is dedicating his filming efforts to a solo project with Decker. All his footage will go towards one edit, dropping on iTunes next summer. The model follows skateboarder Nyjah Huston’s Rise and Shine, an eight-minute video part that premiered on iTunes in 2011. “We work really well together and have the same goals and motivation,” says Decker. “He definitely makes me work twice as hard. It’s a project I’ve dreamt about doing. There are only so many skiers that it’s realistic to do something like this with. You need some budget to do it the way Tom wants to do it.”

Wallisch’s father says he’s always been energetic, fun loving and determined. “He saw something he loved and stuck with it,” says Mike. “I give all the credit to him. We just let him do what he wanted to do.” Sometimes that meant building a jump off the roof. Other times it was getting the ice rink to deliver ice shavings to their house. “Our record was 16 boxes of ice shavings to fill the backyard,” Mike adds.

In a last minute plea for votes, Wallisch went out after the first snow of the season and hit this arch to wall ride. A successful #SOTY campaign doesn’t count its votes til they’re hatched. Photo by Erik Seo_Level 1 in Salt Lake City, UT.

Wallisch was hard on his toys—his razor scooter got frequent air, his bike often skidded sideways and his trampoline was worn out from overuse. He learned to ski at Wisp, a 700-vertical-foot resort in Western Maryland near Deep Creek, where his family owned a townhome. After he’d mastered every run, he found his next challenge. “I wanted to find a way to scare myself and get a rush, and that became catching air, building jumps, jibbing everything and experimenting,” he says.

Wallisch was the ultimate weekend warrior, skiing Friday night through Sunday afternoon. He briefly joined the freeride program to ski more during the week, but he wasn’t a fan of having a coach. “The best coaches are my peers and the people I respect,” he says.

The East Coast made Wallisch a better skier. He credits the night skiing with allowing him to ski more, the terrain parks for their efficiency (shorter runs and chairlifts) and the conditions for making him work a little harder. “I always tell kids the only thing that will make you a better skier is to ski. The harder you’re working, the more you’re doing tricks, the more repetitions—that’s how you’re going to improve your style. It’s the person who spends the most time skiing.”

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/tom-wallisch-is-the-2012-skier-of-the-year/feed1Unified World Tour: What you should know about the new six-stop Freeride World Tourhttp://freeskier.com/stories/unified-world-tour-what-you-should-know-about-the-new-six-stop-freeride-world-tour
http://freeskier.com/stories/unified-world-tour-what-you-should-know-about-the-new-six-stop-freeride-world-tour#commentsWed, 02 Jan 2013 17:52:50 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=23223The North American-based Freeskiing World Tour, The North Face Masters of Snowboarding and the European-based Freeride World Tour have officially joined forces to create a unified global championship series called the Swatch Freeride World Tour (FWT) by The North Face. “It’s exciting to have this collective effort,” says Adam Comey, president of North American-based Mountain […]

]]>The North American-based Freeskiing World Tour, The North Face Masters of Snowboarding and the European-based Freeride World Tour have officially joined forces to create a unified global championship series called the Swatch Freeride World Tour (FWT) by The North Face.

“It’s exciting to have this collective effort,” says Adam Comey, president of North American-based Mountain Sports International (MSI), which runs the Freeskiing World Tour. “We now have a European partner who has the same goals. It’s an unknown for us as to what we can accomplish, what we can do on a global level to bring big-mountain freeriding to a bigger audience. There’s a ton of potential.”

Tour locations include Revelstoke, BC; Courmayeur, Italy; Chamonix, France; Kirkwood, California; Fieberbrunn, Austria; and the World Tour finals in Verbier, Switzerland. Athletes who qualified from each of the 2012 tours, along with five wild cards, are invited to each of the six events in 2013. Each competition includes freeskiing and snowboarding, and women will compete at all but the Courmayeur event.

The 2013 Freeride World Qualifying Tour (FWQ) consists of more than 40 events with different point values from 1- to 4-star in which competitors will compete for one of the coveted 14 spots on the 2014 FWT. Four men and three women will qualify from each region: the Americas (North and South America) and Europe/Oceania (Europe, Asia and Oceania). The rider’s best three results from the season will create their FWQ ranking. A worldwide seeding list will be issued each week to help FWQ organizers select athletes for the FWT. It will rank riders among qualified FWT riders, previous year FWT riders not qualified for the current FWT season and FWQ riders with the best three results from the previous 52 weeks. The qualifier calendar was announced in November.

With Europe hosting 10 four-star events and North America hosting six or seven, European competitors will have more opportunities to gain points, but their region will still only qualify four men and three women to the 2014 FWT. Verbier will hold this season’s world championships, but MSI says the event will bounce back and forth between Europe and the Americas. Same goes for the FWT stops. In 2014, each region will host three events.

A pro freeriders’ board, consisting of seven prominent competition skiers and snowboarders, has been created to ensure athletes have a voice in the organization regarding the season calendar, competition format, judging rules, qualifications and rankings.

Athletes and organizers met in Squaw Valley in September to formulate a global freeride system, which they say incorporates the best aspects from IFSA, the Freeride World Tour and The North Face Masters.

“It’s a formula of judging that’s not overly lengthy or overly complicated,” says MSI’s Bryan Barlow. “Both tours used ‘categories,’ and Europe used ‘overall impression.’ Now, it’s going to be ‘overall impression based on categories.’ Competitors will be able to look at their score cards and be able to clearly see where they did well or not. The new judging criteria will be officially announced later this month.

“It’s going to take some time for people to understand the structure, but it will eventually be clear that this system makes sense for the sport’s growth and everyone involved,” says Barlow. “This system is going to help empower other organizers and resorts to hold their own Freeride World Qualifiers around the Americas. Any event can be a part of our system if it falls into the guidelines. It’s going to support the demand and keep the sport growing.”

If you can’t make it out to the event, tune in. “Surf has a big audience that tunes in on a live basis,” says Comey. “We’re going to deliver the content in a compelling and complete way. It’s going to be a constant story line. From a desk in a city far from the mountains, you can still be part of it.”

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/unified-world-tour-what-you-should-know-about-the-new-six-stop-freeride-world-tour/feed7Five Feet, Five Days: The snow continues to fall at Mt. Bachelorhttp://freeskier.com/stories/five-feet-five-days-the-snow-continues-to-fall-at-mt-bachelor
http://freeskier.com/stories/five-feet-five-days-the-snow-continues-to-fall-at-mt-bachelor#commentsTue, 25 Dec 2012 13:50:13 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=23639December 24, 2012— After a week of superb conditions, Bend’s core skiers are ready for a day off. But it’s just too good for that. I grew up here, and maybe it’s because I now live in a currently snow starved Colorado, but I don’t remember a better storm cycle at Mt. Bachelor. It snowed […]

After a week of superb conditions, Bend’s core skiers are ready for a day off. But it’s just too good for that. I grew up here, and maybe it’s because I now live in a currently snow starved Colorado, but I don’t remember a better storm cycle at Mt. Bachelor. It snowed five feet in five days, eight inches yesterday and last night and NOAA is predicting up to 23 inches by Thursday. It’s snowed 195 inches so far this season. The mid-mountain base is a healthy 124 inches and coverage is mid-winter.

The smiles started on Thursday, December 13, when Mt. Bachelor fired up Summit Express for the first time this season, opening 100 percent of its 3,683 acres on the earliest date in its 54-year history. It was a bluebird, windless day and the backside was open, meaning 360-degree volcano skiing from Bachelor’s 9,065-foot summit to the base of Northwest Express at 5,700 feet. That’s right, 3,365 feet vertical feet of high-speed powder in untracked bowls and boot-deep tree skiing. It was the last of the sun we’d see for more than a week.

The day was Tuesday, December 18, which was one of the deepest, highest quality powder days I’ve ever had. From Rainbow Chair to Northwest, the sounds of extreme appreciation were omnipresent. Bachelor’s endless supply of magical evergreen alleyways means there’s no fighting for the ultimate stash. There’s always plenty to go around, which translates to mellow locals and civilized lift lines.

All week, it’s been storm skiing at its finest—wind loading, few crowds, refills and cold temps. One forecaster called it one of the most significant storms in 20 years. And it’s still not over. With up to 13 inches predicted on Christmas day and eight inches Wednesday, this storm is the gift that keeps on giving.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/five-feet-five-days-the-snow-continues-to-fall-at-mt-bachelor/feed0Kaya Turski will win the 2013 AFP women’s slopestyle titlehttp://freeskier.com/stories/kaya-turski-will-win-the-2013-afp-womens-slopestyle-title
http://freeskier.com/stories/kaya-turski-will-win-the-2013-afp-womens-slopestyle-title#commentsSun, 09 Dec 2012 18:30:05 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=23241Kaya Turski, 24, has been ranked No. 1 in women’s slopestyle by the AFP four years in a row. Last season, she won X Games, Euro X, both Dew Tour stops, the US Grand Prix at Mammoth, and was nominated for an ESPY. We picked Kaya to win the AFP title because we think history […]

Kaya Turski, 24, has been ranked No. 1 in women’s slopestyle by the AFP four years in a row. Last season, she won X Games, Euro X, both Dew Tour stops, the US Grand Prix at Mammoth, and was nominated for an ESPY. We picked Kaya to win the AFP title because we think history will repeat itself, for a fifth straight season.

We checked in with Kaya to talk about the upcoming season, Sochi and more.

Do you feel prepared for the season? I’ve had lots of down time, but I’m also training. I’ve been training in the gym a lot, on the tramp and went to Utah for nine days for water ramping. I feel relaxed and ready.

What kind of competitor are you? I really try to zone in. I don’t pay attention to what everyone else is doing. I want my friends—really every competitor—to do the best they can. But I’ve worked a lot on not paying attention to all the distractions. I realized I won’t be changing my runs 10 minutes before dropping in, so I try to trust the work I’ve done and go with what I’ve got. People might label me a stress case. I get nervous, but I think I’m in love with that feeling. That’s why I’m still doing this—I love the adrenaline rush and feeling of my heart beating faster.

Are you working on your mental game for Sochi? I want to get to the Olympics, and be in that same state of mind that I’m in when I’m dropping in for the Dew Tour or X Games. I don’t want to play it up too much. It will be the same type course, I’ll be competing with the same people. I just want to absorb it and live in the present.

What event means the most to you? There’s something magical about X games. It’s so much fun. The crowds are awesome—still the biggest of the season. Everyone is working on new tricks. There’s a nervousness in the air.

Plans for the season? I want to do the same tour I’ve been doing—Dew Tour, Euro X, X Games, anything I need to do to qualify for the Canadian team. But nothing above and beyond that. I want to stay as close to my normal routine as possible.

What drives you outside of the competition scene? Through my skiing and the way I live, I want to reach as many people as I can. I want to relay the message: work hard, it pays off. Believing in yourself gets you a long way. I want to work closely with the younger generation, kind of what Sarah did for me. I’m so inspired by what she’s done. I want to follow in her footsteps. Every day is a new day to learn more about people and life.

How did your past shape who you are today? Injuries have made me a smarter athlete and more determined. I go to the gym, take care of my body, eat and sleep well. Coming back after my second knee injury was a huge mind game. You know what to do on the physical side, but it was a struggle mentally. It brought me to work with a sports psychologist, who I still work with. Injury woke me up.

Do you work much with the Canadian national team? I don’t. They’ve been great at letting me do my own thing. I work closely with my Red Bull coach and their performance team. I talk to my national team coaches at events, and they’ve helped with travel, doctors, nutritionists. It’s great to have a team around in such an individual sport. But I’ve mainly been on the solo program. That’s what worked for me.

]]>http://freeskier.com/stories/kaya-turski-will-win-the-2013-afp-womens-slopestyle-title/feed1David Wise will win the 2013 AFP superpipe titlehttp://freeskier.com/stories/david-wise-will-win-the-2013-afp-superpipe-title
http://freeskier.com/stories/david-wise-will-win-the-2013-afp-superpipe-title#commentsThu, 06 Dec 2012 06:49:36 +0000http://freeskier.com/?p=23244When 22-year-old David Wise won Winter X Games gold in 2012, he was the first father to stand atop the superpipe podium. His wife Alexandra and daughter Nayeli were there to celebrate. The Reno, NV native has the tricks, the amplitude, and after finishing second in the AFP superpipe race last season, he certainly has […]

When 22-year-old David Wise won Winter X Games gold in 2012, he was the first father to stand atop the superpipe podium. His wife Alexandra and daughter Nayeli were there to celebrate. The Reno, NV native has the tricks, the amplitude, and after finishing second in the AFP superpipe race last season, he certainly has the confidence to take the title this year.

We checked in with David to talk skiing, family and the road ahead.

What’s the problem with halfpipe skis? A lot of manufacturers get away with making cheaper, less powerful skis. In the park, you go through a pair of skis every two months, so a lot of people don’t see the need for a high-performance ski. They use lower quality cores and not as much fiberglass.

What’s it been like creating a ski with 4FRNT? I wanted a ski that was designed specifically for what we do in the halfpipe. I told Matt Sterbenz [of 4FRNT] my vision, and with their engineering and building expertise, we came up with four prototypes. We tested, picked the best one and kept honing it in. The skis I won X Games on were round-three prototypes. Each ski got better and more effective. We played around to find that perfect amount of stiffness—you need enough for power and solid landings—but it has to have enough play to be fun. We went with a full maple core. It’s pricier, but it’s more solid.

What’s it like to have a signature ski? It’s really cool, kind of funny. Starting off with those guys, it was brought up. I told them I didn’t feel like it was worth it for them to put my name on a pair of skis. After I won X and a Dew Tour stop, they pulled me aside and said, “What do you think now?” I said, “OK.”

What kind of competitor are you? I like to try to keep it relaxed. If you’re too intense, you don’t perform well. I like to crack jokes at the top, but when it’s time to drop in, there’s a concentrated, focused moment. When I hit the top of the wall, everything else is gone. I don’t hear the crowd or the music. It’s just me and the halfpipe.

What events are the most important to you? Looking back, winning X Games was a pivotal moment. It was this perfect moment, where I was doing it 100 percent for the love of sport rather than trying to win or make money. That was a turning point. That’s going to be my approach from now on. The Olympics are where we have our sights. I’m excited for it, for the good of the sport. We’re being careful to keep our sport’s soul intact. It’s going to be so cool for the world to get a glimpse into our world. I hope to be there to represent my sport and my country.

What drives you outside of the competition scene? What I really love about action sports is that we’re at the forefront of what is humanly possible. There are people on all different fronts pushing the sport—big-mountain competitors, the mountaineering guys, rails… There’s innovation everywhere. That’s what drives me.

What tricks are you working on? I always have something in the works. If people are nipping at my heels, I have to do something about it. I have some things in the bag for this season.

Who do you look up to? What’s cool about skiing is that everybody has something they do that is really inspiring. I look up to [Justin] Dorey for his technical difficulty and how many unique tricks he can do. I look up to Andreas [Håtveit] for his personality. He’s always happy when he’s skiing. And to Tanner [Hall] because he was one of the fathers of our sport.

What’s it like being a father and competing? Being a father is a lot more natural than people think it is. People say I’m so young and I travel so much, but it’s really not that hard. It’s just another part of life. I love my family, and I love what I do. Both get equal attention and neither draws from the other. It’s an aspect of life I didn’t expect, but it has enriched my life. During contest season, so much time away can be draining, so we travel together as much as we can.